Savings bank



A. F. ZERBEE June 23, 1931.

SAVINGS BANK Filed July 31. 1929 v Patented June 23, 1931 1 UNITED STATES" ALFONSO r. znnnnn, on NEW YORK, 1;. Y,

SAVINGS BANK Application filed July 31,

. My invention relates to a savings devicefor coins, the object being to provide a simple, convenient and novel device of an ornamental nature for that purpose. The device consists of a coinholder or receptacle in combination with an attachment, preferaby in the form of a miniature umbrella or parasolbut of any other adaptable form, to indicate the contents of the said chamber. As the coins are inserted into the chamber the resulting action of the piston as hereinafter described causes the umbrella to open. The first insertion results in a slight opening of the umbrella which then remains in its'position until the next coin is inserted. The second insertion causes the umbrella to open still further. As additional coins are inserted the umbrella opens gradually more and more until the coin chamber isfilled to capacity at which point the umbrella is, fully opened. The umbrella indicates at all timesthe measure of the con tents of the coin chamber.

In the accompanying drawings: 7

Fig. 1 is an elevation of the entire device; 7 Fig. 2 is a cross sectional view; and

Fig. 3 is a plan view of the device, Reference numeral 1 indicates the holder or receptacle for the coins which consists of a hollow cylindrical member within which is slidably arranged a piston 2 having the ,usual piston rod3 which extends through a sleeve or stem A integral with or suitably connected to one end of the chamber 1 so as to form the main support or frame of the umbrella and a guide for the rod 3..

The lower end of the holder orreceptacle 1 is provided with a cap or closure 5 which is removably attached to the end of the said holder. An aperture 6 is provided inthe face of said cap through which the coins areinserted into the chamber, said aperture having its lower edge 7 beveled so as to facilitate insertion of the coins into said holder. Secured to the interior of the cap 5 in the manner shown is a substantially U-shaped spring 8, the upper leg of which is positioned slightly above the lower edge of said aperture and slightly below the upper edge of said aperture. The portion of said leg abutting the edge of said aperture'is turned downwardly 1929. Serial No. 382,449. 7

to form a lip 9 on which the edge of the coin i is adapted to slide when being. insertedthrough the aperture, Arranged between the legs of said U-shaped] spring and secured thereto at its ends is acoil spring 10 which serves to hold the U-shaped spring in its normal position, that is, with its upper leg slight: ly above .the lower edge and-slightly below the upper edge of the aperture. As arranged, the upper leg ofthe U-shaped spring forms a support for the piston when the coin holder or receptacle 1 isrempty, the piston then being at its lowest point.

The sleeve or stem 4 is provided with slots 11 and 12 in its periphery for the reception of a pin 13 which extends transversely through the piston rod 3, the ends of the said pin. extending outwardly of the pistonrod in position to ride in said slots. 'lhese slots extend throughout the greater length ofthe f sleeve or. stem Al, and terminate, at their lower ends, a distance above the upper end of the coin holder or receptaclel, and, at their upper ends, at a distance below the upper fend of'the stem or sleeve A. The slots serve to control, through the mediumof the pin '13, the upward and-downward travel of the piston, for the purpose hereinafter described. v V Surrounding the sleeve or stem A is a col larlt which is slidably mounted on the said sleeve orstem and which has at its lower end an outstanding flange 15 and at its upper end a similar flange 16 of greater diameter than the lower flange 15. The collar 14 rests at all times on the projecting ends of the pin 13 so that anyupward or downward move ment of the piston 2 and piston rod 3 is impartedto the collar 14. r

The indicating means referred to above can be in any convenient adaptable form but as shown herein consists of a smallumbrella or parasol having the usual covering 17 of any material, such as silk, cotton 'orthe like, and the usual plurality ofribs 18 beneath such covering. Removably securedto theupper flange 16 are aplurality of connecting links or rods 19, the upper ends of which are movably fixed to the umbrella-ribs. The said connecting links or rods serve to support the 399 umbrella covering, and to impart the necessary movement to the umbrella covering through the medium of the umbrella ribs to cause said covering to open or close upon the upward or downward movement of the c0llar 14. The covering may be secured to the stem or sleeve at in the manner usual in umbrellas or may be detachably secured to the stem or sleeve as by providing the covering with a circular opening in its center which is adapted to be slipped over the upper end of the sleeve or stem a. A metallic cap member 20 is removably attached to the upper end of the said sleeve or stem l to prevent the covering from slipping upwardly and off of said sleeve or stem. To prevent slippage downwardly of the covering, the stem l may be provided with a transverse hole therethrough into which a pin 21 may be fitted so that its ends project and form a support for said covering. In the preferred form of attaching the covering to the stem, the circular opening in the center of the covering is adapted to rest upon shoulders 22, formed adjacent the upper end of the stem and to be tightly held in position on such shoulders by the end walls of the cap, when said cap is in position on the stem.

In the operation of the invention each coin as it is inserted through the aperture rides upwardly on the lip of the U-shaped spring until it engages the face of the piston which is caused to rise and to deflect the coin so that the same will lie flat on the upper leg of the U-shaped spring while the piston will rest upon the coin. The piston having less resistance to movement than the U-shaped spring and the coil spring in combination, the insertion of each coin into the coin box orreceptacle causes an upward movement of the piston a distance equal to the thickness of the coin. The upward movement of the piston in turn imparts movement to the collar through the medium of the pin at the up per end of the piston rod which in turn i1nparts movement to the umbrella or parasol and causes the same to be opened. Each coin inserted into the coin box or chamber causes a partial opening of the umbrella until the coin chamber is entirely filled at which point the umbrella is fully opened.

Thus the invention not only provides a novel form of receptacle for coins but also an indicating device therefor, whereby the number of coins contained in the receptacle or the total amount of the money contained therein can be easily determined at any time.

It is to be understood that the invention is not to be considered as limited in the preferred form as described and as shown in the accompanying drawings, as any modifications thereof may be accomplished without.

departing from the scope of the appended claims.

Having now particularly described the nature and object of my invention, I claim:

1. The combination with a savings bank of a receptacle comprising a hollow chamber, a piston within said chamber and means comprising an umbrella adapted to be operated by said piston to indicate the contents of said chamber.

2. The combination with a savings bank of a receptacle for coins, an aperture for the insertion of coins into said receptacle, a piston within said receptacle, and means com prising an umbrella adapted to be operated by said piston to indicate the contents of iaid chamber.

3. The combination with a savings bank of a receptacle for coins, an aperture in said receptacle to permit insertion of coins therein, a support within said receptacle for such coins, a piston to be operated by such coins and an indicating device comprising an umbrella actuated by said piston to indicate the measure of the contents of said chamber.

4. The combination, in a device of the char-' acter described, of a receptacle, an aperture in said receptacle to permit the insertion of coins, a coil spring mounted between the legs of a U-shaped spring having one leg on a plane between the upper and lower edges of said aperture and substantially parallel with and adjacent such aperture, and a lip at the end of said leg adjacent said aperture, so arranged as to assist in the insertion of coins into said receptacle. 1

5. The combination with a savings bank of a receptacle for coins, a sleeve or stem connectedat one end thereof, a piston rod within said sleeve or stem, a collar slidably mounted about said sleeve or stem, means connected to said collar to indicate the contents of said receptacle, and means mounted in said piston rod to actuate said collar and said indicating means.

6. The combination with a savings bank of a receptacle for coins, a sleeve-like stem portion connected at one end thereof and having a slot extending for substantially the length of said stem, a piston rod within said stem, a pin mounted transversely in said piston rod and so arranged that the ends of said pin are slidably mounted in said slot, and a collar supported by the ends of said pin and arranged to slide longitudinally on said stem upon movement of said piston rod.

7. In a device of the character described the'c'ombination with a savings bank of ahol- KSO 8. The combination with a savings bank of a receptacle for coins, a sleeve-like stem portion at one end thereof, a pisl on and piston rod Within said receptacle and stem, an aperture in said receptacle, a coil spring and a substantially U-shaped spring mounted in combination Within said receptacle and so arranged as to assist in the insertion of coins into said receptacle and to form a support for both said piston and such coins as may be Within the chamber, a collar slidably mounted about said stem and arranged to slide longitudinally thereon, means connected to said collar comprising an umbrella to indicate the contents of said receptacle, and means mounted in said piston rod to actuate said collar and said indicating means.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto affixed my signature.

ALFQNSO F. ZERBEE. 

